How to be a human Product Leader in the age of AI
Sit down, be humble.
This is a special post in a series I’m writing about conscious communication.
We’re living in the heyday of artificial intelligence.
I’m not the first one to tell you this.
I hope.
There’s excitement, there’s terror! It’s hard to know what’s what because we are living in the unregulated wild wild west of new technology. I could be a robot writing this even (am I? I’m not. Or maybe I am?) 🤖
Anyway…In this golden era of automation, how do you stand out as a genuine human leader?
I’ll be closing out this conscious communication journey with a final tip that’s hopefully obvious, easy AND realistic.
It’s this: Be a human and be humble. 🎶
At the risk of being obvious… there are so many ways you can go wrong in leading with humility.
Might I suggest some of the best qualities I’ve seen in my leadership teams and with my clients:
Acknowledge Your Limitations: You don't have all the answers. Own it.
Listen Actively: Show that you value your team by not doing work while you meet with them. Truly, put the phone down.
Share Credit: Take every opportunity to implement shine theory and give credit to your team.
Invite Feedback: Encourage and welcome constructive criticism.
Admit Mistakes: Own up to your mistakes to gain the respect of your team.
Practice Empathy: Take time to understand your team. Show compassion, support, and sensitivity.
Stay Curious: Lead with why.
Maintain Approachability: Find ways to be accessible to your team despite your schedule.
Is that leadership 101? Maybe. Does it work? You betcha.
Thanks for joining me on this conscious communication journey.
I hope that by now you’e tapped into my framework, "Managing Up with Conscious Communication" and thought more about how you show up as a Product Leader in your organization.
If you’re still with me
How were my music puns?
I’ll be dropping something special next week for my NYC based Product Leaders. Be on the lookout 👀
Hi - I’m Jori and I’m a Product Coach. Here’s how to work with me ↩️
I work with Product Leaders and their teams to unlock their biggest career moments. If you’re looking for support - drop me a note, I’d love to connect. 🤝
I co-host Product Leadership Breakfast NYC, a monthly product breakfast series to bring together curated groups of PM leaders to connect and share learnings and insights over casual breakfast. If you live in NYC or find yourself passing through, join us! ☕